Anastasia
A Timeline B character, [[House Drathir|''Greater Noble]] (although she doesn't know it yet). ''"How do you destroy a monster, Without becoming one yourself?" History Memory Path Not Unlocked The farthest Anastasia's memory goes back is to when she was 19 years old. It was like she just opened her eyes and was thrown into a world she didn't even know, expected to just begin living. And that's exactly what happened. The memory was her eyes slowly fluttering open, then blinking quickly against the light that shun down on her. She tried to move her hands, but they refused to move. Her chest began raise and fall quicker, the sense of danger kicking into her mind, nearly choking as her mouth was gagged and tied. Anastasia's eyes finally adjusted to the only light in the room, quickly scanning what was keeping her held. She was in a chair with her hands chained down onto the wood, painfully. She winced and continued trying to pry her hands free, to no luck except the chains jingling louder. She stopped her struggle, not wanting to make too much noise. She took a moment to look around the room, finding herself in a cell, caged like a wild animal. Instead of being fearful...the feeling of rage consumed her and she roughly threw herself against the chair was was confined in. "They're coming, they're coming, they're coming," The whispers danced around her, stilling her rage as her eyes looked through the bars wildly to see what the voices spoke about. That's when she heard it, the sound of foot steps growing closer to her cage. Her mind racked with what she could do, her eyes searching every inch of the cage, hoping to desperately find something...''but there was nothing. Doing the only thing she could, she automatically relaxed her neck, letting her head fall and her eyes flutter shut. She concentrates on trying to slow her breathing, pretending to be asleep. The footsteps were right outside of her cage now, shuffling to a stop as the sound of rattling of assumed keys came next, the sweet unlocking noise, followed by the creaking of an opening metal door. Anastasia's heart began to pick up speed in her chest as she knew the intruder would be getting closer, but she remained silent. The person seemed to stop right in front of her chair, so close that Anastasia could feel their breath on her face. She then felt a hand underneath her chin, turning her face to the side, to which she complied, trying to remain as relaxed as she could. Seeming satisfied and believing that she was sleeping, the intruder began to unshackle her hands from the chair and then her legs. Anastasia kept up her act of pretending to sleep through the whole process, waiting patiently for her time to strike. She could feel the intruder wrap their arms around her, lifting her up and throwing her over their shoulder. Ana took that moment. One her legs swung around as she pushed herself up, wrapping both of her legs around his neck now and twisting, breaking it instantly. The body collapsed onto the floor, Ana then steps away from it casually. She takes a moment to look around as she rubbed her wrists, sore from her recent shackles, and it appeared that she was in some underground cell block. Her vermilion eyes turned onto the guard, moving over to him and leaning down. Ana's hands begin to search through his clothes and pockets, and eventually, finding a ring of keys. She looks back towards the door and stands, moving towards it slowly as to make as less noise as she could, then peeks around the corner for anymore guards. Not seeing anyone nearby, she slinks in the shadows between the cells, stealthily moving out from within wherever she was. She passed by several cells, holding many different types of races, some looking worse for wear while some look like they could be high ranking nobles. Anastasia snuck to each cell, using the keys she had stolen to try and open as many cages as she could, each person giving her looks of gratification and disbelief that she would take the time to help them. Together, they moved down the halls, unlocking more and more cages, Anastasia's group growing larger and larger until the sound out a shout filled the halls. Everyone turned their eyes up to where it came from, seeing a large group of guards, some even having spells prepared and glowing in their hands. "RUN!" Anastasia yelled, bolting from where she previous stood, her command causing everyone to begin scattering around the halls. Anastasia flew down the halls, turning corners with skill and gaining speed instead of losing it. The only thing that seemed to cause her to stop is when she ran by something pure white in one of the cages. She slowed down and doubled back, moving to stand in front of the cage. In front of her, sat a pure white haired kitsune who faced away from the bars, the whisper of Osiriani filling Anastasia's ears as she heard the kitsune speaking to no one. Ana placed her hand onto the bars, moving closer to the cage and going to unlock it until she heard a "Hey!" coming down the hall. She blinked, backing away from the cage and continuing on her sprint back down the hallway. Her breathing was becoming heavier as she sprinted down, what seemed to be an endless array of hallways, her eyes scanning every nook and cranny for anything that would help her escape whatever prison she had landed herself in. Ana pushed herself, refusing to lose speed and be free. Just as she turned a corner, a hand wrapped around her waist, the other finding it on her mouth. Her elbow immediately came back, pushing it into the ribs of her grappler, feeling him begin to give under the pain, but continue to hold onto her. The shouting of guards became more and more apparent, signalling that they were getting closer, until Anastasia was able to actually see them run right past the corner they were hiding in. Once the guards were far enough from them, continuing to scout down the hallways, the being that held Anastasia let go of her. She quickly turned, looking at who had saved her, finding herself in front of a 7'0" man who wore a ragged clothes and broken shackles around his wrists. He places a finger on his lips and motions her to follow him and she does, considering the fact that he just hid her from the guards that were chasing after her; although she was still weary of the stranger. She kept an eye behind them as the stranger led her deeper down the hallway until they finally came upon a ladder. She looked at him in surprised and confusion, but he just gave a small smile in return and motioned for her to climb up. Not being hesitant to escape, she climbed the ladder quickly, not looking back as she heard the screams of both prisoners and guards in the background. At the top of the latter was a heavy, metal circular item that seemed to cover the top of the whole and although it took quite a bit of strength to push it away, she was able to manage, sunlight beginning to filter into the tunnel, creating a beam of light down as she pulled her way through the port. Pulling herself up and out of the hole, she found herself in a busy street, the smell of different exotic foods and the extremely hot heat cascading upon her as citizens looked at her strangely and continued on with their day. She pulled herself out of the hole the rest of the way, looking back down seeing her companion waving her to go, then turning as shouts grew louder. Ana nodded and closed the top of the whole with the metal piece, bolting through the crowd to get distance from the place of her escape and then slowing to a brisk walk, blending into the crowd. Anastasia wasn't dumb, she knew she wouldn't last long if she didn't get her hands on some money and fast. She immediately went to a few taverns, looking for any work that she could get her hands on, but no one had anything available. She spent hours doing this, spending most of the day trying desperately to get some kind of work until it was getting dark and shops were closing up. She took a moment to stop in an ally way, not fearing that she may get attacked as she was pretty able to handle herself, and placed her back against the brick wall, slowly sliding down until she reached the ground. She sat there for awhile, trying to figure out what exactly she could do to earn some money in the busy streets of this unknown city and tried to remember anything past that night - coming up with nothing. The clicking of heels seemed to echo down the alleyway, although Ana didn't turn her attention to them, thinking it was a simple passerby until they stopped right in front of her. She looked up, seeing a woman in a scandalous outfit that would be frowned upon in most cities. The woman reached her hand out towards Anastasia and just as she did so, tiny drops of rain began to full upon the pair, although neither of them moved to run to cover. Ana looked at her hand for a long movement, but having nothing else to really live for, she decided to trust this woman and give in. She placed her hand into the other and got to her feet. The woman smiled and begun to lead Ana. The journey was a silent and long one, both feeling as if not much was needed to say anything as they took sharp corners and walked in the shadows of the city Ana still didn't know she was in. Eventually they came to a building that seemed like it disappeared into the ground more than it stood as a building, the entrance being stairs that led to a large, metal door. Anastasia began to grow skeptical now and let go of the woman, who continued forward and tapping on the door in a particular pattern. A smaller, sliding door opened, showing the hazel brown eyes of a dark skinned man, but just as quickly as he was seen, he disappeared. The next thing came the sound of multiple locks turning, then the door opened, standing the male that was previous seen standing in the whole doorway, looking to be a Drow. Anastasia's guide moves forward, the Drow automatically moving out of the way for her and then looking towards Ana as if he was waiting for her as well. She was hesitant at first, skeptical that it was a trap to get her back into that prison, but not risking anything got you nowhere in life. She stepped forward, following the stairs down and entering the sketchy building. The first thing she saw was a long hallway that was lined with red velvet and silver chandlers with golden candles glowing ontop. She continued to follow the woman, deeper into the seemingly endless halls and even deeper underground until come upon a jeweled curtain that glittered with the lights behind it. Ana pushed her way through the curtain, the jewels jingling behind her as they swayed. A very large room stood in front of her, filled with several velvet booths and seats, while in the middle of the room sat a long platform with two poles, while lining the walls sat many smaller circular platforms; the lights were low and sultry music played softly in the background. The woman continued forward to a booth closest to the stage and leaned down, wrapping her arms around the only person who seemed to be in the room. Anastasia moved closer, looking at this mysterious person with curiosity and caution, mainly wanting to know what they had wanted her for in this strange place. As she came closer, she was able to see who sat in the booth, which seemed to be a decently looking man wearing the attire of nobility and slicked back pure black hair. "I heard you're looking for work," He spoke, his voice deep and demanding, his eyes never leaving the stage in front of him. "Do you know how to dance?" He asked next, motioning towards the stage, his eyes finally meeting Ana's. Ana remained silent through his words and at his question, she looked towards the stage until ultimately moved for it. She entered onto the large platform, and although there were hardly any lights, they seemed nearly blinding as they beamed onto her. Anastasia moved forward towards the first pole and once her hand touched it, it was like her body went into auto pilot. Her hand run up the bar as her body coiled around it as she begun her dance and in the end, she had shown him the best dance he had seen yet. She was hired automatically and she didn't mind, she needed money and she didn't care if people even had to see her completely naked; it even amazed her that people would pay to to see a bare woman. Years past and not only did Anastasia begin studying in her spare time, but taking up arms with a lance, which she seemed to be with a master with already. She took to worshipping the Empyreal Lord Arqueros, The Golden Bulwark, as he seemed to share nearly the same views she did, which was protecting the innocents and being a guardian for the weak; a bonus that he was skilled with the Longspear himself. One day, she was in Osirian's great library, hoping to gain as much information about the Empyreal Lord as she could and nearly ran into a white haired boy, he wore white and black robes with flowers dawned on him, who was also much too into a book he seemed to be into at the time. Anastasia told him that he needed to be careful or he'll knock into someone, which gained his attention. Once his eyes hit what books she was looking at, Anastasia was a goner. Hours, the young aspiring wizard pestered her with questions about Arqueros, causing Ana to grow more and more irritated, but nonetheless, she answered him...only to find out he wasn't even listening. Her irritation overwhelming, she swiftly lashed out - instantly knocking him out. She thought about leaving him on that library floor...but as she watched his beginning to bruise sleeping face...something forced her stay. With an annoyed sigh, she sat on the floor next to him, leaning against one of the bookshelves and pulled him into her lap, waiting for him to wake. Once he woke, seeing that he was still with the woman who had knocked him out, instead of being upset...he actually smiled and asked, "I...guess this makes us friends, huh?" The words threw Ana off, her head turning to the side and sighing. "I suppose so." She answered. Until then, the two have been basically inseparable. The longer Anastasia stayed with Thurindir, the more she felt like she had to protect him; the more her feelings about him confused her. She spends most of her time traveling with him while continuing her job that she was clearly good at, just living life. Appearance Anastasia is a beautiful young woman and she knows it. She has long, sanguine colored hair, stopping just shy of her rear. She has a sharp look to her face with full lips. Her eyes are the color of fresh red wine and seem to glow even in the darkest of nights. She stands at a height of 5'2" in heels and weighs a total of 110lbs. Her attire consists of full-body see through black suit, always picking this outfit over others when going on adventures as it was the easiest to move in. Over the see through material was another black cloth that wraps around her body, covering her breasts and other body parts that are frowned upon being shown in public. Multiple black leather straps wrap around her attire, connecting each of the parts together. On her shoulder, she can be seen wearing either a silver or a golden shoulder plate that connects with a black cape. On her legs, she wore the same covering material and black leather straps, then black armored heels. The whole piece is laced with golden accents and occasionally she wears a dark veil on her head with beautiful jewels. Another outfit she might be seen in is her work attire, which was much more scandalous. She wears a full body purple suit with black stockings and purple heels. Occasionally she is required to wear long, black silk rabbit ears with a fluffy bunny tail and sometimes, little to barely nothing. She didn't particularly care what her attire might be, so long she was making money. Personality Anastasia typically comes off as cold, uncaring or even hostile. She is quick to give into her anger and will easily speak her mind, even if it might be at the wrong time and place. She stands up for what she believes in and won't back down without a fight. She is very self-reliant and does not like leaning on someone else to get through something. * Independent * Confident * Serious Contrary to belief, she is not always cold; although this is only seen when Thurindir is around. She can be seen being playful towards the young wizard and can be seen teasing him on multiple occasions. She's protective of the white haired boy in the white and black robes, easily putting herself in front of blade for him. She can easily be thought of as his 'guard dog'. * Playful * Loyal * Protective While on missions, she has two goals; keep Thurindir safe and complete the mission. She will do anything in her power to keep those two as a success. She seems to enter a trance and won't stop until her mission is complete or if she is compelled to stop. * Determined * Fierce * Powerful Under all of this - is just a girl who wishes to be needed and loved. Friends 'Thurindir Vaeridae' - ''"Things are different now. I have to protect the one thing I can't live without." When first meeting Thurindir, Anastasia completely hated him. She thought he was like a bug who wouldn't go out the open window and instead continued to fly around her. He took an interest in her, even more so when he found out she worshiped Arqueros, talking her ear off with nonstop questions even though he hardly paid any attention to her answers. She gave into her annoyance and ended up knocking the mage out. Not wanting to leave him to be mauled in the streets, she gave in and waited for him to awake, resting his head on her lap. To her surprise, he wasn't upset when he awoke; instead greeting her with a bruised smile and the words she'd never forget. "I...guess this makes us friends, huh?" Ever since then, they stuck by each others sides. She tries to protect the aspiring mage, no matter how stubborn he can be. She isn't quite sure on her feelings for him, she just knows she'd do something she'd regret if something ever happened to him. Niko Sieghard Kay Viorel - "Maybe it takes a near death experience to feel alive." A blonde haired man who seems to follow Thurindir around. She thinks he is quite a useful ally ever since she had seen his scythe skills, ignoring the fact that he nearly died in the second mission she saw him in. Ana thinks he should probably drink less before going into battle and hopes his near death experience has taught him a lession. Anastasia helps him stay alive as he seems to keen to help Thurindir stay safe as well. Enemies Anyone who happens to be her target on missions or threatens Thurindir, otherwise she doesn't care that much. Londorwin Orcs Aspirations She isn't quite sure at the moment, explore with Thurindir? Additional Information * Anastasia seems to struggle with her alignment, the temptations of darkness lurking in her mind, but she tries to do the best she can without giving in. Associated Adventurer Cards Category:Timeline B Characters Category:Player Characters Category:Player Character